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Ancient Olympic sport restored to Games schedule

ELEANOR HALL: Seven months after it was dumped from the Olympics line-up, the ancient sport of wrestling has been restored for at least the next three games.

The sport has been slow to modernise and there were suggestions that television audiences were switching off.

But as Katie Hamann reports, efforts to reform it appear to have paid off.

HARRY "HG" NELSON: Hello everyone and welcome to the 97 kilogram Greco-Roman class. The Exhibition Hall's Darling Harbour. The traditional sock down the front of the shorts has just been engaged.

KATIE HAMANN: As many sporting enthusiasts may recall comedians Roy & HG went to great lengths to make Olympic wrestling entertaining viewing during the 2000 games in Sydney.

HARRY "HG" NELSON: And this has a direct link, Roy, with the ancient games where it was done in the nude - Greco-Roman wrestling - and with oil. Oil on the combatants.

JOHN "ROY" DOYLE: On the combatants. That's right, from ancient pottery we've been able to divine that the Greeks and the Romans loved doing this. They go for a feel of each other. Just a grab. Just a grab. If you can grab a bloke by his testicles that's great. The only way you've got a chance to stop him grabbing.

KATIE HAMANN: But without the laughs, wrestling was increasingly perceived to be boring audiences, which prompted, in part, last February's decision by the International Olympic Committee to drop the sport after the 2016 Games.

Allegations of corruption, bribery and even threats of violence within the senior ranks and among referees have also dogged the sport. Seven months on it appears all that has been forgiven.

JACQUES ROGGE: With 49 votes, wrestling has been elected for the 2020 Games.

KATIE HAMANN: The outgoing president of the IOC, Jacques Rogge, made the announcement in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires where the committee is meeting this week.

The decision was heartily welcomed by the president of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, Nenad Lalovic.

He was installed in the top job after February's shock announcement, and has worked in the months since to reform his sport.

NENAD LALOVIC: We have a totally independent referee commission. No board members in the referee commission. This is a very important decision. That's the way... these are the ways to fight what you just mentioned. And also a modern and democratic constitution. These are the weapons against that.

KATIE HAMANN: Among the changes to wrestling and its management are a greater role for women in decision-`making and rule changes to make matches easier to understand and more engaging for audiences.

Women's wrestling will have two extra medal classes at the 2016 games, while two men's events from the London Olympics program have been dropped.

David Boucher is the treasurer of Wrestling Australia.

DAVID BOUCHER: The perception was that from a television point of view, it didn't attract viewers because it was... some of it was boring, that there wasn't enough motivation for a result in a quick enough turnaround.

So since the decision to recommend that we don't continue in the Olympic Games, the wrestling community worldwide got together and brought about a change in government, and at the same time brought in a change in the wrestling rules to make it more attractive.

KATIE HAMANN: Wrestling received more than twice the votes of the other sports shortlisted for inclusion: squash and a combined softball and baseball bid.

As the latest games entrant, wrestling is now the only sport to be guaranteed a spot until the 2024 Olympics, with the 27 others up for review in 2017.

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